Automated teller machines (sometimes abbreviated as ATMs) can be configured to allow users to perform various financial transactions at any time. For example, many financial institutions, or banks, have one or more ATMs from which users may withdraw cash from a checking or savings account that corresponds to a card provided by the user. A user can be a customer of the financial institution or an administrator.
ATMs can also include devices called financial self-service terminals and kiosks. ATMs can perform one or more of a large number of user transactions in addition to simply withdrawing cash such as depositing cash or checks in an account, checking the balance in an account, and transferring funds between accounts. ATMs can also perform one or more of a large number of administrative transactions including updating ATM software and replenishing the cash supply of the ATM.
ATMs may be connected to a host computer of the acquiring institution by communications links. The communications links may be non-persistent, requiring the ATM to reinitiate communications with the host computer of the acquiring institution. The communications links may be persistent, requiring dedicated bandwidth.
ATMs include numerous hardware and software modules that may malfunction. Generally, an ATM is taken out of service when a malfunction occurs with one of these modules. While an ATM is out of service it is not available to users.